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12/29/2011

New MAC quad.

So yesterday I decided on what I would spend some of my christmas money on - a quad of MAC eyeshadows! I felt like I needed some neutrals that I could use every single day and love to bits, so I went in to make my first ever purchase at the store.

I already knew about two shadows that I for sure wanted in my quad - All That Glitters and Satin Taupe. I know, really, REALLY popular colours but I've seen numerous swatches and I just knew that they would be great in a quad.



The first picture I have here is one of All That Glitters, and the second is a swatch of it. The third and fourth are a picture and swatch of Satin Taupe.





The other two colours that I picked out were Phloof! and Sketch. Phloof! is a perfect shimmery off-white and sketch is a deep purple with some gold shimmer, which works great on green eyes like mine. These first two pictures are of Phloof!, and the next two are of Sketch.




The final product! 

I am so pleased with my brand new quad - it's everything I wanted it to be. I've used these eyeshadows a few times already and I love them - they're creamy, pigmented and look great with my colour eyes.

In Canada, you can get a quad like this, filled with eyeshadows, for around $65. It seems pricey but when you break it down, it's about $8 for the palette and about $14 an eyeshadow, give or take. And if it's something you're going to use everyday, I say it's totally worth it!

If you're reading, would you ever consider shelling out this much for four eyeshadows?

6/29/2011

32 Questions Tag.

I haven't posted in SOOO long. So I thought I'd start doing it again with a fun little tag I came across on the Fowler sister's website (I'm not their biggest fans but to be honest I love how many tips and tricks you can get from that site). It's called the 32 questions tag but don't let that deceive you - it's actually 33 questions long. Getting into the tag:


  1. Is it cute when guys kiss you on your forehead? Absolutely :) Even cuter than a kiss on the cheek.
  2. A big poofy dress or a short party dress? Define "short" - a party dress that ends a few inches above the knee? That's mine.
  3. Are diamonds a girl's best friend? ... Nah. I don't think they're necessary.
  4. Is your hair up or down today? Down, as per usual.
  5. Do you straighten your hair? A lot of the time, but I've lately been branching off and leaving it natural or curling it too.
  6. Favorite mascara? Oh god... um... Clinique High Impact or Maybelline Falsies. Or Revlon Custom Eyes or L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes. Or Rimmel Sexy Curves. I like mascara :)
  7. Do you get your nails done? I love to get them done but 99% of the time I do it myself.
  8. Small or large purses? Go big or go home :)
  9. Jeans or sweats? Jeans jeans jeans.
  10. Do you wear clothes/shoes/jewelry that's uncomfortable? Just shoes - I always get flats a size smaller hahaha
  11. Do you text message a lot? Is sending and receiving 20,000 text messages in one month a lot?
  12. Whats your favorite color? I really like blue.
  13. Heels or flats? Flats - I'm 5'10 and heels make me way over 6 feet :/
  14. Would you ever leave the house without makeup on? I wear very little makeup everyday to begin with. I like to go out with just a bit of concealer and some mascara but if I can't do that then no makeup is fine.
  15. Walmart or Target? Target... though we don't have them in Canada... yet!
  16. Do you think lip gloss is the best! Eh... I prefer lip balm :)
  17. Do you own any big sunglasses? 1 pair... $5 from Forever21 :)
  18. How long does it take you to get ready in the morning? Ummm... most of the time about 20 minutes, but if I take a shower in the morning it'll take me like 4 hours hahaha
  19. Gold or silver? Silverrrr.
  20. Do you like to wear dresses? Occasionally, in the summer.
  21. In the last 48 hours have you hung out with a guy? Yup.
  22. Do you like to hold hands? I do indeed :)
  23. What do you notice when you first meet a guy? How tall they are - Gotta be taller than me. Haha
  24. Do you like making eye contact? Eh. I find when I'm talking and someone is listening to me it's uncomfortable if I make a lot of eye contact. Which I should work on.
  25. Would you kill for chocolate? Nah. I can deal without.
  26. On a scale from 1-10 how fun is shopping? Very. Haha
  27. Do you yell a lot? Ummm... Not really, I'd like to think...
  28. Do you wear sweatpants/pajamas to school/work? Never have, never will. Though I will wear lululemon pants to school.
  29. Have you ever dressed unlike yourself to impress a guy? Nope. I don't have to do a thing to impress guys. ;) Haha jk, but I actually haven't. I went to a uniform school up until this year so I couldn't dress any differently anyways, and it was an all girls school so... No guys.
  30. What makeup could you not live without? My concealers I think. L'Oreal True Match, Maybelline FIT me!, and Kat Von D tattoo concealers.
  31. Do you fall in love easily? I'd like to think I don't...
  32. Do you have cramps? The worst ones in the world, if I don't take my meds for them.
  33. Do you think you have the bestest friend ever? Sometimes I find it hard to figure out who my best friend is. But I think my sister and my boyfriend are both pretty equally amazing. :) 
I dare you, reader, to do this tag!

6/02/2011

Nail of the day - 06/02/11

New series - nail of the day? Like outfit of the day, but with nails? Hahaha.

My new favorite nail trend - that one, with the all the nails painted one colour, and then one painted another colour... Let me just show you.





So... yeah. The colours I used?

Essie's Turquoise and Caicos and this gold one of China Glaze that doesn't have a name anywhere on the bottle. I picked these two colours because I absolutely love the way they look together and the way that the matte polish compliments the shimmery gold. I also really love this trend because it's so unexpected and interesting - in fact, I've already gotten a few weird looks on it. I think it's gorgeous, however. But what do you all think?

This look can also be achieved by having the same colour of polish on all 10 nails but adding a glittery top coat on top of only one nail - I personally prefer the ring fingernails, but it's really all about personal preference.

Thanks for reading :)

DIY dry shampoo.

So I recently ran out of my Oscar Blondi Pronto Invisible Volumizing Dry Shampoo spray and I can't say I was disappointed when I found out the can was empty. It sure was invisible, and definitely volumized, but I must say that it didn't live up to my expectations dry shampoo-wise - it just didn't work for me, plain and simple.

I found myself in a bit of a pickle last night - it was my sister's graduation today and I, being the band kid that I am, got to play at her ceremony. This involved getting up at 6, which meant going to sleep early, which lead to not having enough time to wash my hair. Third day hair can be a train wreck if left alone so I ran around trying to find a substitute for a dry shampoo. Lo and behold, I came upon this recipe, which I feel the need to share with the world.

Ingredients:
  • About 3-6 tablespoons of cornstarch
  • A bobby pin, toothpick, popsicle stick or spoon
  • A small bowl
  • A plastic storage container
  • Something to scent it with - essential oil, dried flowers, etc




Steps:

  1. Pour cornstarch into your bowl. Note that measurements don't need to be exact by any means.
  2. Add a few drops of essential oil, dried flowers, etc. I used some lavender essential oil that I got when I went to Provence. It's important to not put in too much to keep the corn starch from turning into one large clump - just enough to add a nice fragrance to the product.
  3. Using a bobby pin or spoon, mix up the mixture until there are few clumps and everything is well combined.
  4. Transfer your dry shampoo into a storage container with a lid to prevent spilling or dust.
  5. To use, take a small amount (a pinch or so) and massage into your roots. I prefer to flip my hair upside down over a sink, which prevents messes. Make sure to shake the corn starch out after.






 And for a quick review - bottom line, best dry shampoo ever. It sucked all of the oil out of my hair and left it looking better than after I've just had a shower. Combined with a nice fragrance, this is definitely worth the little bit of work I put into making it - and at such a low price to make, this is a lifesaver. The verdict - I'm never buying dry shampoo again!

So, what do you all think? I've also heard of witch hazel being a good, natural dry shampoo - what are some that you've heard of?

5/22/2011

Forever21, American Eagle, Garage and Sephora Haul

I was doing some online shopping and I actually purchased something this time - which basically never happens. I also went to a couple of stores recently, so...

Starting with Forever21. The first thing I got was just a plain v-neck tee, in this really gorgeous colour.


It's quite soft and has long sleeves considering it's a short sleeve tee, which is a major selling point for me. The only negative thing I could say about this is the neckline of it dips down quite a bit lower than I would like, but for $5 (give or take), it's a steal.

The next thing I got were these cuffed denim shorts.


These were the most expensive item I got from Forever21 - not saying much, since they were $12.80. I was worried that they wouldn't fit (the sizing was different than what I am used to) but they are super stretchy and fit perfectly.

The last thing I got from here was an eyelash curler.


I can't say much about this product - I got it for $1.80, which explains it's quality. However, for a first eyelash curler, I don't think that matters too much. For anyone reading this - any tips to help me curl my lashes? Much appreciated.

The next place I went to was Sephora, to pick up just one thing.


I'd been wanting the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencil in Electric for quite some time and I finally picked it up. It wasn't cheap at $22 but the quality of it is absolutely amazing and the colour is gorgeous. Swatches to come.

Next I went to Garage - a Canadian clothing store. The first thing I got was actually a bathing suit that I'm really fond of.



In total this bathing suit was about $40, which is a total steal. The top is a bandeau type top that twists in the center. It has a bit of padding which is good for those who are small chested (namely, me). I love the nautical theme of this bathing suit, and the fact that it has removable straps is also a plus. To balance out the stripey top, I went with a solid navy bottom that matches the navy in the top. It has keyhole sides and ties, which is a really nice added detail. All in all I'm really liking this bathing suit.

The last thing I got from there was a really cute pair of shorts.


I think with a nice white tank top these would look amazing - a gorgeous plaid print and they have a removable tie around the waist. These were $20, because they were on sale.

And, lastly, American Eagle. I'd been looking for one particular pair of skinny jeans in stores but they never had them in my size (jeans come in short, regular, and long, and these jeans weren't stocked in the long size). At 5'10 I can't wear even the regular size because I'm so tall, so I basically gave up on finding these jeans. However, when looking at the American Eagle website recently I was amazed to find that online, they are stocked in my exact size. Immediately upon seeing this I ordered them and anxiously awaited my package in the days that followed.


I've been wanting a pair of distressed jeans for quite a while but never got the opportunity until now. These jeans fit perfectly and, like all American Eagle jeans, are fairly soft and stretchy. They were the most expensive jeans I have ever purchased from this store, coming in at $50, but I don't regret a thing. No words can express my happiness upon finding my distressed jeans :)

Hope you all enjoyed this haul, and comment below if you have requests or want to see more of any certain blog posts. Thanks for reading. :)

5/08/2011

French Manicures.

Yesterday I had this odd yearning to paint my fingers, but not traditionally - I really wanted to do a french manicure. Some steps to doing one?

1.) Apply your favorite base coat (I've been doing this every time since my yellow-stained nails incident, which you can read about here. I fixed that by the way - it required quite a bit of time spent with a nail file). I like Witchcraft's Nail Whitener.
2.) Apply 1-2 coats of a pale pink, light purple, or clear nail polish. I did one coat of OPI's Kiss on the Chic.

3.) Using a white nail polish, paint a line across the edge of your nails (creating that classic french tip). If your line isn't as opaque as you'd like, add another coat. I used Loreal's French Tip Manicure.

4.) Apply your favorite top coat to keep your manicure lasting longer and add shine. I used OPI's Top Coat.

And it's as simple as that.

Don't mind the writing on my hand, but here's a picture of the final product:

April Favorites.

I was trying to think of a blog post to do today since it's been a while and I was struggling. Then I realized it's May, so would be a good time to do an April Favorites blog post. :) Enjoy!

The first item I have been loving this month is my Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion.

This is the most amazing, lightweight lotion I have ever used. First of all, it comes with a pump which is handy and keeps it clean. I used up two sample sizes of this before I went out and purchased the full size, and I must say I couldn't be happier. I use this underneath my main moisturizer, which just adds that little bit more to your skin. On its own, it doesn't leave an oily or greasy feel to your skin, and absorbs really well. It doesn't smell particularly outstanding, because it really doesn't have a smell (which can be really good for sensitive skin). All in all, for $25-$30, this is a really great buy.

My next favorite is my Loreal Voluminus Million Lashes.

This distributes the perfect amount of mascara to your lashes, without clumping or smudging too much. I tend to have issues with mascaras that leave black streaks underneath my eyes, and I like this because if some of it does come off, it flakes off (which is something easy to just brush away). The name also describes the product - basically, lots of lashes. It's lovely, really. I love this product, and it's available at drug stores (I'm not sure how much, but probably $10, give or take).

The next item I want to pay tribute to is my Too Faced Natural Eye Palette, and a similar palette - Almay's intense i-colour trio for blues.

Both of these create similar looks, but I think they both have some really good shadow colours. The Too Faced shadows are absolutely amazing quality and the colour Silk Teddy is positively gorgeous, while the top colour in the Almay palette is also really good quality and a gorgeous colour. I love both of these for a nice, neutral eye look (my favorite one to rock). However, the price of the Too Faced palette is a bit of a turn-off - I got mine for about $40. If you have a lower budget, I'd recommend going with Almay's - available at drug stores.

I've also really been liking my Maybelline FIT me! Concealer.

I did an entire review on this product a while back, so if you'd like to read that post then you can click here.

Perfume-wise, my favorite has got to be the Harajuku Lovers Music perfume.

I got this for my birthday a couple of years ago and I have barely used half of it, despite two spritzes every day. It smells absolutely amazing - this floral, sweet scent. I'm not really good at describing things so this is what I found: Music was developed by perfumer Honorine Blanc, with notes of clementine, pear, jasmine sambac, sweet pea, honeysuckle, vanilla, skin musk and sleek woods. It's not exactly a cheap scent at $25 for 10 mL or $45 for 30 mL but it isn't particularly expensive either.

Two products left - the first, a brush. Quo's Crease Blending Brush, to be precise.

This is the perfect all-purpose brush - you can place colours on your eye with it, blend them in, apply crease colours, and highlight. There's not much more I can say about this brush - it's just amazing.

The second - an acne treatment system. For those of you who haven't heard of it, SkinID is an acne system formulated especially for the treatment of your skin type. One only needs to fill out a quiz (here) and 3 different products are selected to best suit your skin type - whether it be dry, combination, oily, or normal.

A wide range of products are available from this brand, including cream and gel cleansers, a toner, a moisturizer, an anti-acne treatment, and more.

The claim is that you will see better looking skin in two weeks - and this is totally accurate. I use this morning and night and I haven't had a single breakout in quite a while. How it works is every three months you are sent a shipment of your products for $49.95 (I believe) and you can cancel at any time. Upon your first, intial order you will also recieve a small tube of acne spot treatment and a little blue bag to hold all of your products in (which has proven to be quite helpful). All in all, this is an amazing idea and (in my opinion) a much better purchase than Proactiv or some other expensive treatment system. If you've tried this out, let me know in the comments what you think about it.

And that concludes my April Favorites. Sorry it was so late, but I've been quite busy. For those reading, what was your favorite product this month?

4/27/2011

This or That.

So I'm actually in love with these, legitimately. So...


Makeup
Blush or bronzer? Blush. I'm whiter than whipped cream so it looks weird if I put on bronzer.
Lip gloss or lipstick? Gloss - not as harsh.
Eye liner or mascara? Mascara.
Foundation or concealer? Concealer - I don't wear foundation.
Neutral or colored eye shadow? Neutral - Too faced natural eye palette :)
Pressed or loose eye shadows? Pressed.
Brushes or sponges? Brushes, but I use sponges for concealer.

Nails
OPI or China Glaze? I have a lot more OPI but China Glaze is just as good.
Long or short? Short.
Acrylic or natural? Natural - I've never been allowed to wear acrylic haha.
Brights or darks? Bright.
Flower or no flower? None - simple. :)

Body
Perfume or body splash? Perfume - I'm in love with Ed Hardy at the moment.
Lotion or body butter? Lotion.
Body wash or soap? Body wash if it smells good but I really like Rockstar from Lush as a soap.
Lush or other bath company? Lush :)

Fashion
Jeans or sweatpants? Jeans all the way. Bought my first ever pair of sweats... 3 days ago?
Long sleeve or short?  Long sleeve because then I can roll it up to my elbows.
Dresses or skirts? Dresses - though I don't wear them much.
Stripes or plaid? Plaid - I highland dance and was born to live in plaid kilts.
Flip flops or sandals? Sandals.
Scarves or hats? Scarves.
Studs or dangly earrings? Studs. Cheaper and classy.
Necklaces or bracelets? Bracelets... Necklaces... Bracelaces... Necklets... Both.
Heels or flats? Flats - I'm 5'10 and heels make me over 6 feet most of the time.
Cowboy boots or riding boots? Riding boots.
Jacket or hoodie? Jackets. I can't rock hoodies.
Forever21 or Charlotte Russe? Forever21 - I like the jewelry.
Abercrombie or Hollister? If I had to pick, Hollister.
Saks 5th or Nordstrom?  Never been to either.

Hair
Curly or straight? Straight all the time, but I prefer curly.
Bun or ponytail? Ponytails cause I can't do buns to save my life.
Bobby pins or butterfly clips? Bobby pins.
Hair spray or gel? Spray... though I use both for dance competitions...
Long or short? Long.
Light or dark? I have blonde hair... but both are equally nice.
Up or down? Down, for me.

Random
Rain or shine? Rain smells good but shine tans... Both. Not at the same time though.
Summer or winter? Winter = birthday and Christmas. Summer = me tanned enough that I don't blind people... Both.
Fall or spring?  Spring.
Chocolate or vanilla? Vanilla.
East coast or west coast? Er... Canada? Cause then East. Vancouver. Yeah.

I tag y'all to do this :) 'Tis much fun.

4/25/2011

My Pretty Little Nails.

I was just giving myself a manicure and I thought maybe I'd do a blog post about my current must have nail items. There's quite a few, so be prepared.

There are 3 basic steps if you want a nice looking manicure.
1.) Apply a base coat.
2.) Apply 2-4 coats of your choice of polish.
3.) Apply a top coat. This can be the same as your base coat, or different.

For me, my favorite products include:

Witchcraft Nail Whitener.


So, for St. Patrick's day I did something really stupid - without a base coat, I applied about 5 coats of bright green nail polish and didn't bother to take the stuff off for weeks. After taking it off, I was astounded to find my nails had been dyed - bright yellow. While nail polish covers it up, I'd like to have natural nails once in a while, so I picked this stuff up hoping it would take away the yellow. It didn't exactly whiten, but has been working quite well as a base coat. I got it from the drug store and I can't exactly remember how much it was but it wasn't expensive - though I wouldn't recommend this product. Just get a base coat.

Revlon Top Speed Nail Enamel in 320, Jaded.


My new favorite nail polish -  a perfect combination of minty green and teal. I'm definitely in love. The consistency is very nice and doesn't chip very easily when applied properly. The polish itself is also quite cheap (drug-store cheap). The brush for applying is also really nice, in my opinion.

Revlon No-Smudge Dry Oil.


I sometimes have those issues where I think my nails are dry so I'll touch them and leave fingerprints in my polish. It's rather upsetting. Though this doesn't prevent the gooping or stretching of the polish on your nails, it will make them dry to the touch within seconds, and can be applied to a wet nail. A very cheap product at about $4, this is definitely worth it to avoid those darn prints.

OPI Top Coat.


I'm not really picky about top coats... This one is just the only one I own.

Mani Station Lotion.


This is probably my favorite hand lotion. Ever. It comes out of the tube bright green, which might seem repulsive but the product itself  is so good that the colour is completely forgotten. I can't exactly describe the scent of this product but on the front it says "lemon, lime, orange" and then "antioxidant treatment". Though the smell isn't exactly citrusy, it is amazingly fruity and fresh, but not too much. The product's consistency is fairly thin, but when applied and rubbed in it absorbs absolutely amazingly into the skin. I'm a huge fan of it, and though it is kind of expensive (no more then $20, available at Chatters) it is an amazing product.

Aaaaannnndddd...






My finished nails (sorry, terrible macbook photo quality).

For those of you reading... Favorite nail polish colour for spring? Mine's this one.

Feathers... In Your Hair.

See, I never thought I'd end up liking this sort of thing. But it's actually really cool. Like if you just get a couple feathers and put them by your ear, underneath all your hair... You get a little pop of colour. I don't know, but I think I'm kind of leaning towards wanting to get some. You can get them from Birchbox for $39, by the brand Fine Featherheads.

 

You can also get them from the Fine Feather Heads website (here), but for way more expensive - $100. I think I prefer the Birchbox pricing.




If you're reading this, what do you think? Would you consider feather hair extensions?

Flawless Skin.

So, I don't have it. Flawless skin. I get zits. :'( But I work towards finding lightweight products that still have good coverage - and I think I found some that work for me.

If I were to do a foundation routine, I would start off with my moisturizer and then skip the primer. Next I'd apply a foundation or tinted moisturizer - Maybelline Mineral Power Healthy Perfection Liquid Foundation in the shade 1, Light.

This foundation is positively amazing. The shade I have matches my skin tone perfectly, and when applied with a damp sponge it looks natural but still flawless. You only require a small, pea-sized amount to cover your entire face, and one coat will definitely tone down any blemishes or redness. When I applied two coats to my face I was astounded at how amazing my skin looked, but I don't want to waste this product so I typically only apply a single coat. Priced at about $8, this is a total steal. I would definitely recommend checking out this foundation.

Next I would apply a concealer underneath my eyes and on any visible blemishes. I use the Maybelline FIT me! Concealer in the shade 15, Fair.


This concealer surprised me when I first used it. Upon first glance it seems like a typical concealer, one that you can get from the drug store at a cheap price and that kind of covers up your blemishes but can look cakey or sheer. However, upon further inspection it comes out of the tube by way of a doe-foot applicator and applies with a very thin consistency. When rubbed in, it thickens up and covers blemishes amazingly. I am surprisingly in love with this concealer now, and it isn't very expensive (I don't know the exact price, however). This concealer is what has made me want to try the entire line of FIT me! products.

Lastly, I set everything with a mattifying pressed powder. I'm thinking if I do end up trying the rest of the FIT me! line, I will end up getting the powder (shown above). However, I'm currently working on my Sexy Mama Anti-Shine Translucent Powder by the Balm. 





I'm a big fan of this powder and hit pan on it long ago. If you are someone who gets a lot of shine on their face, this is an amazing option. It reduces shine and it sets any concealers, foundations, or otherwise. I love it because it doesn't make one look cakey or powdery, but still helps to make me feel like my foundation is set and stuck on my face. It's my most expensive product at around $20 but it's definitely worth it.

So that's my foundation routine in a nutshell... If you're reading this, what's your favorite foundation?

All of these products are available at Shoppers Drug Mart. The Balm products are also available at Sephora.